The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1887-12-17
'rRI-W E,EI<l4 Y EDITION.

ganatic wife OF ~ noble from the north
a Christian or an Oscar something.
The countess herself was the daughI
ter of a New York banker by the name
OF Jacobson Had she q nationality at 1
all, this beautiful Olga, brought up on
a regimen Of daily switchings, part Of
the time in the frozen atmosphere Oft,
Scottish nursery. again III a Protestant
boarding schools at Genoa. the rest Of
existence passed upon the cushions Sof
railroad trains WHO could pass before
her in memory, like tho pictures OF the
steroscope, al the seaaside resorts and
winter stations, where her mother, q
beautiful woman. still4ln .splte of her
made up complexion, had promenaded
for twenty years with all her worn out
airs Of c0Quetry, her samovar and her
cage Of pampered monkeys2
Z Alasl it was true. she had no coun.
try, this strange. girl, who combined
within herself the modesty of. a virgin
with the boldness OF a boy
81 am neither OF London, Of Paris,
Vienna nor st. Peterrburg,' she would
say with a smile sadder than any tear;
s'l am only OF the table d'hoto.'
Had she any tamily2s None at all,
her real father, the Christian or Oscar
Of the north, of whom the Countess
Barbarlne was never weary Of talking,
had been dead for many years, and as
for the Russian count, her father In
name and provided you stretched
1t little--he never troubled himself
about her. Utterly ruined in fortune,
he had really no means Of existence save
his unerring gun, and gained living
by going from city to city and winning
the prizes at tho pigeon shootings, a
sort Of civilized Misunderstanding. in
fact, to be found In more places than
between the leaves Of Cooper's roman
tic novel. Z
And Olga's mother2 In spite of her
periodical and maternal tenderness,
which grated upon all and deceived
mono, she was allowed with an ego
tism, a se!flshness, absolutely sublime,
and which never for a moment found
itself at fault. II !
Julian dc Rhe learned all these de.
tails only after he was enrolled IN the
flying squadron maneuvering ceaseless-
1y in the wake Of Olga Barbarine. 1t
would have made no difference, how.
ever, had he heard them be-
fore, for he had begun to
love, to truly love, this strange yet ir.I
res1stible girl, who looked him in the
eyes with the candor Of a child, and
said to him tic day q mutual fsi9nds f1e !!
presented him: - - w :,
"Al, it is you--who are 80 much In
love with mel How DO you do, sir?"
and she gave him her hand and q clasp
as firm as mans.
Yes, this brave and honest sailor be-
gan to love her, and to love her all the
more as he heard and understood her
story; but he was not deceived. Olga
waa fanciful--badly brought up, yet
free from coquetry, and with heart
that was both proud and true. Per-
haps sho felt as keenly as he felt HIM
self the humiliatlon,o OF her position and
tho life she was forced to lead. One
thing was certain: she Judged, and
judged severely, the score or moro Of
sutors for her favor who Caracoled he.
side her In the daily fox chase and every
night inscribed their names upon her
dancing card: "Theyyfdmiredh her, they
adored her--pour masser le temps
not one among them esteemed her suf-
dciently to ask her hand In lnarriagel"
For this reason she treated them DIS
dainful]y, and quickly brought them
to their senses at Tho slightest attempt
to pass the limit she had placed upon
their approaches; they should at least
respect heri
Julian, TO whom delicacy of feeling
lent rare penetration, recognized be-
meath the brusqae exterior the true
worth and loyalty of this girl, so beau.
tiful yet go unfortunate, but bearing
her troubles and her modification
with the courage of a,strong, reserved
nature. t.z
Did he wish to marry herr Yes, and
to take her from life so full Of peril
to carry her to hts mother, tender,
loving woman, 'who would surround
her with the peaceful atmosphere Of a
home; In word, his love should save
her. May, more than this, he dreamed
that Olga OWNED his hopes, and that
at those "a to 6 ress'' Of tho Countess
Barbarine's, where all oe her adorers
were treated with the careless frank
ness Of q ''bon camarade," her eyes
met hers with look in their depths that
responded to his generous pity, his In
finite love.
Eyes. Mile. Barbarine, my leave Of
absence expires III ten days. / leave
Pau tomorrow to spend few hours
with my sister in Touraine; after that
depart for Brest as ,aid.de-camp to the
Marine prefcct. In q year, or eighteen
months at most, / shall again be at
sea-
They were aiono in corner Of the
Gassion's reading room, standing atau
open window lookinp out upon the
night and q. sky that sparkled with.
m,lllons OF stars.
n